post-it notes - so expensive  

Well, you pay for the name-brand, so you could save money buying a generic brand. I usually buy them at $1 stores or other cheap places. As far as making scratch pads, I recycle. If I have paper that's been printed on one side, but not the other, and I no longer need that paper, I cut it into fours (by folding it in half twice and tearing each fold) and my hubby and I use them as scratch paper. If we want the "scratch pad feel" we staple a bunch of pieces together.

I don't know if this helps you or not, but just wanted to share it with you in case it helps you, or any other myLotians!

I agree with buying generic. Or there are those little chunky notepads with perforated pages they can tear off (but of course they don't stick). They also make the tiny post its.

However there is another issue here, you are the parent and they are the kids. If you feel the post its are too costly to be wasted, then you tell your kids that they are only for special projects and aren't meant to just use for everything, or tell them that they are off limits period. It is not mean. Or tell them that they cost a lot and they can have post its if they want to pay for them with their allowance, or say that in the budget by the rate they are going at them, you can either get more postits and less of another particular type of thing they like, or less or no post its and more of another thing they like. This teaches them that nothing is free and introduces them to budgetting.

I have several sheets of paper that I have laminated, now I just write on them with a chinagraph pencil or a dry wipe market. End of the day, wipe them clean. No mess and you never run out of notepaper.

I buy the generic post it notes when I don't have a coupon to get the brand name low cost or free. The other suggest is to get a glue stick to make the generic sticky. Also I use the backs of envelopes to write shopping lists.

We just use the junk mail we get and use that as scratch paper. When we need it to stick we just use a bit of tape or a magnet on the fridge. There really isnt a great way to make post it notes that would not cost more than just buying them as far as I know.

I either buy my post it notes from the dollar store or I use a scrap piece of paper and a paper clip. Paper clips are cheap and can be reused many many times.

Yes, I know. Post-its are very expensive and children usually like to play with these. You can instead opt for erasable blackboards in small sizes. They come bordered in nice colours along with a chalk and duster. You can keep them anywhere (maybe the kitchen boards, the sitting-room corner table and such) and write any number of messages on them. You can always erase the messages once they have served their purpose.

I find that a great alternative to post its, when I need a scrap paper and there is none left, are index cards.
You can get a stack of 100 for 50 cents.

This is way cheaper than post its, and I just tape them where I wanted the post it to go. I quit buying post it notes last year, and truly do not miss them.